Liquid flow control apparatus



March 4, 1958 11 Sheets-Sheet, 1

Original Filed Sept. 17, 1949 5:; 5;. 8 2 E (f xzq 835w 4 F2 2F KP mm a 93: U 8 $3 9 ,9 mmmm .m v 0.. w 552; 8 mm m w R INVENTOR. JOHN G. WILLIAMS BY M r l s ATTORNEYS J. G. WILLIAMS 2,825,359

LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS Original. Filed Sept. 17, 1949 March 4, 1958 ll Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIYA" FIG. 2.

ATTORNEYS March 4, 1958 J, G, WILLIAMS 2,825,359

LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS ATTORNEYS March 4, 1958 J. G. WILLIAMS 2,825,359

LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 17, 1949 ll Sheets-Sheet 4 11- 206 as L 240 FIG. 5.

IN V EN TOR.

JOHN G. W/LL/AMS P8 BY ATTORNEYS March 4, 1958 5, WILLIAMS 2,825,359

LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS ll SheetsSheet 5 Original Filed Sept. 17, 1949 ATTORNEYS March 4, 1958 J. G. WILLIAMS' 2,325,359

LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 17, 1949 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 IP INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS March 4, 1958 wlLLlAMS 2,825,359

LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS ll Sheets-Sheet 7 Original Filed Sept. 17, 1949 INVENTOR. JOHN G. .W/LL/AMS ATTORNEYS March 4, 1958 WILLIAMS 2,825,359

LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 17, 1949 ll Sheets-Sheet 8 INVENTOR. JOHN G, WILLIAMS Y B mwm;

FIG. 16.

ATTORNEYS March 4, 1958 J. G. WIFLIAMS,

LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS Original Filed Sept. 17,1949

FIG. /8.

11 Sheets-Sheet 9 I INVENTOR. JOHN G. WILLIAMS ATTORNEYS.

Mar 1958 J. G. WILLIAMS 2,825,359

LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS 11 Sheets-Sheet 10 Original Filed Sept. 17, 1949 INVENTOR. OHN G. WILLIAMS BY \W \w;

ATTORNEYS March 4, 195s J. G. WILLIAMS LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS a: 3B U 408 23g 410 402 v 400 388 i F2 1 i392 1:: A395 11 Sheets-Sheet ll FIG. 20-

INVENTOR. JOHN G. WILLIAMS ATIQRNEYS Unite States LIQUID FLOW CONTROL APPARATUd John G. Williams, Philadelphia, Pa., assignorto Cochrane Corporation, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Original application September 17, 15949, Serial No. 116,264, new Patent No. 2,713,556, dated July E9, 1955. Divided and this application December 18, 1952, erial No. 326,757

2 Claims. ((Il. 137-5'53) This invention relates to a liquid control valve assembly and a method and apparatus for the control and operation of liquid handling equipment such as ion exchange or filtration equipment and the like.

in ion exchange, filtration, and other types of liquid treating equipment it is generally necessary to recondition the contents of the treatment tank at periodic inervals. The steps involved in reconditioning generally include operations of flushing or washing and the application of a regenerant.

In ion exchange systems involving either acid or alkali treatment the liquid treating materials, after a period of use, become deactivated and require regeneration. Briefly, in ion exchange equipment regeneration involves a sequence of backwashing wherein water is passed through the ion exchange material container as a reverse flush and then to waste or drain; regenerating wherein a regenerating solution is passed through the ion exchange material container and then to drain; and rinsing whereby fresh water is passed through the ion exchange container washing the residual regenerant solution from the ion exchange material container to drain. After regeneration the system is restored to service connections for normal operation.

In filtration equipment of the type characterized by employing supplementary floccular adsorbent or absorbent beds the sequence of reconditioning generally employs the operations of 'backwashing wherein water is passed through the filtration bed as a reverse flush and thence to drain; reconditioning wherein a suspension carrying a floc such as an aluminum hydroxide or other material is passed into the filter bed reestablishing the layer of fioccular material on the surface of the bed, the liquid carrier passing to drain; and rinsing whereby the residual reconditioning suspension fluid is washed from the filtration bed to drain, leaving only the insoluble material in the filter. After reconditioning the system is restored to service connection for normal operation.

It should be noted that throughout this disclosure the word regeneration will be used as applying to both regeneration of ion exchange materials and reconditioning of filter beds.

In ordinary filtration equipment employing agitation but not requiring a chemical regenerant solution the regenerating operations generally include the steps of agitation wherein water is passed to a surface agitating means for the purpose of stirring up materials deposited on and in the surface of the filtration bed; backwashing wherein the Water is passed through the filter as a reverse flush to remove or pass to drain the materials which have settled thereon; and rinsing whereby Water is passed through the filter in a normal direction and to drain in order to settle and flush the filter bed in preparation for service. After regeneration the system is restored to service connection for normal operation.

These systems of liquid treatment involve establishing and controlling connections "between a treatment tank;

2,825,359 Patented Mar. 4, 1958 2 a regenerant tank or an agitator, a raw liquid supply, a drain line and a treated liquid service line. The pressent invention has to do with an improved type of control valve whereby these connections are effected.

There are available numerous single control valve assemblies designed for these general purposes, all of which are found to have manufacturing or operating handicaps. The single control valves which have been successfully reduced to practice may be divided into three general types characterized by their manner of operation. The first type might be most properly called the sliding port type of valve of which the cylindrical plug valve, the conical plug valve and the flat face rotary disc valve are examples. The second type might be called the lifting valve type in which an axially movable part including a reversing channel is lifted clear of -a multiplicity of valve port seats, rotated to a new position and reseated. A third type might be described as an individual valve type in which individually seating valves are either directly manually or hydraulically operated in a pattern or sequence to accomplish a desired flow cycle.

The first mentioned sliding port type valve has been found objectionable on several counts. In the cylindrical form it is expensive to manufacture and nearly impossible to make liquid-tight. In the conical form it is expensive to manufacture and very difficult to unseat to permit turning, under the influence of high water pressures. in the fiat disc form, usually rubber faced, it is very difiicult to turn under high operating differentials, it requires supplementary grease lubrication and it is characteristically leaky. In all forms the sliding port type valve has the objection that in intermediate valve positions there exists a promiscuous interconnection of all of the ports in the valve body. In a valve of this type this fault could only be avoided by making the land areas between ports extremely large and the valve body ridiculously large and expensive.

The second type of single control valve utilizing a single lifting valve member including a reversing chamber or passage has the objection that it is nearly impossible to operate in larger sizes against high water pressure and in all sizes causes a substantial and objectionable line shock as a result of its characteristic sudden closing. It also has the fault common to the sliding port type valve that in any intermediate changeover position, when the valve plate is lifted from its seat, there exists a promiscuous interconnection of all fluid lines connecting to the valve assembly.

Previous to the invention of the valve disclosed herein there has not existed a single control valve of the individually operated valve unit type enclosing in a single unitary assembly of reasonable size an adequate number of valve units suitable for controlling any of the aforesaid liquid treatment systems.

It is an object of this invention to provide a liquid control valve assembly for this type of service which will have the advantages of ease of operation under high liquid pressure differential, independently sequenced opening and closing of the individual ports in the valve during the process of changing the valve position, indi vidually seating valve units operated from a central pilot valve and contained in a single valve, and a compact easily operated pilot valve assembly which requires no supplementary lubrication.

Another object of this invention is to provide a bellows type of valve, or alternatively a type of piston valve, having more desirable operating characteristics and longer life than the diaphragm type of valve heretofore employed in liquid handling systems.

Heretofore it has been customary to employ in liquid V -ati'ons of service, agitate, backwash and rinse. V V

Q A further {objectj 'of this invention is to provide an i'im'proved type of valve whereby, in addition rtothese 'quick-shutoii. I V V a c t a (2) A-control 'valveposition in which the valve w1ll shutoil l allconuections inthe systemexceptthe drain 'haifdling systems control valves which have four positions of operation and to control only the four stepsor stages of operation, namely, service, backwash, regenerate and rinse; or in case of filtration systems, the operoonv'entional Eco'n'trol positions, it is also possible to accfimplish one ormore of the following: a

'(1) A control valve position in which thevmve will shut-"offi-all connections in the system as an emergency which allows drainage-of the liquid treatment tank:

(3) A control 'valve position in which the valve will :by :under pressure WithOUt offering service to the line.

'A further fobject of this invention is to provide a liquid'gcontrol valve assembly :of ia reduced size, weight, w Land-cost by :the utilization of individually acting valve components havingn'elatively high 'efiective areajvalues 7' relation to their maximum diameter'thereby providing a maximumiflow passage area per unitxof space as com- "pared. "to previous designsiutilizing single diaphragm type of valves and'having completely friction-free operation bylthe utilization of multiple .convolution'sealed V l-bellows valve members molded froman elastic corrosion resistant material.

' tity of regenerant'solution rnent tanks. 7

These and other objects of this invention, particularly relating to details of construction and operation, will be:

come apparent from the following descriptiongread in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,-'in' which:

Figure l is a general'tdiagra'mmatic layoutofialiqiud 'handlin g system including a treatment tan-k, a iregenerantf t 7 tank and the improved bellows valve assembly;

Figure 2 isVa.schematic"representation ofs'a section i of the bellows valve,showingtherprinciples erase struc- V ture involved in'the -flow'rat -e regulation; a

' shut 'oif all connections in the system except the liquid supply to the'jtreatment tank. Thisposition offers 'utilit-yf {for standby service where 'one ref a plurality :of jointly connected liquid treatment-tanks may, bemade'to stand It is another-object of :this invention to provide a {that the regenerating solutions are kept from contact with T tto-dislodge'an d removeivarioussolidjparticles'whichmay Figure 3 is a front elevation of the valve assembly; I Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the valvegassemblyl including a section of theratcregulatortaken on the plane 4 4 through the regulator as indicated in Figure 3; a

Figure 5 is a vertical section of the valve assembly taken on thesurface the-trace of which -isc indicatedby S'5 of Figure 3;

taken on the'pla'ne indicated byj66 in Figure 3; w

Figures 7 10.713, inclusive, are schematic representations of theivarioustpositions' of the pilot control valve; 7 V

'A Figure 1 4fis a vertical section o f'thegvalve assembly showing the internalistructure' of the valve body; V e it Figure is an ele'vation'of 'the'front di-stributor plate taken on the surfacelindicatcd by 14-14 in Figures-4' V in; i

Figure 16 iswan elevationiof theeba'ck distributor'plai showing fthe various ports I and passages contained therein; 7 H V ,7 .r c

Figure :17, is an enlarged fragmentary: section-showing atypical bellows valve bellows and face structure; 7'

Figure '18 is an enlarged fragmentary section of the a valve assembly showing a piston type valve substituted t jfor the'bellows valve;

have been'carrie'c l into thetreatmenttank; with the un'-,'

7 treated liquid. In the case 1of the reg'eneratin'gopera- .tion itis-necessary to adjust for a'lesser rate of how r and maintain that rate quite-accurately ,in order toprovide .to-the -treatm enttank a uniformly distributed flow 'Lof a'prede'terminedquantity of a regenerant solution of the proper concentration during a predetermined interval. of time." in conventional control valvemechanis ms the flow rates in thelregeneraticn cycle are c'ontrolledyby m'eans of a fioat operated valve and a'weir orifice; The

' factithat such devices are costly to install and require to i valuable space is quite obvious. It should also be noted that fhe iioat operated valve and weir orifice type of rate control'stai'tsin operation with the valve wide open and does not effect control until a suflicient volume 'of 7 liquid is accumulated ahead of the weir to properly condition the ctpritidlildat. i Therefore, they donot provide fimm'ediatefiowrate regulationr" I I It:1s, therefore,1another object of this invention to provide-inexpensive, compact, accurate and independent c flow'rate, controls instantaneously effected and'opcrating 1 'during jthe backwash, regenerating and rinsingoperae ment plant including, regenerant supply.ztanks,i liquid treatment tanks and flow control valves;? 1 i Figure 20 is' a vertical section ofan element-:of'lthe inventionshown in Figure l-9 ;'and j tions by regulating'the pressure of the operatingfluid 'withinjth'e' bellows valvelrelative to the pressure of the li'quidjpassiug the valve therebymaintaining an accurate 1 lands'teady control of the'fiowl rate past the bellows valve; e w 7 ,7 "another :obj'ectjof' this inventionto provideja {liquid controlyalve assembly containing a multiplicity of Y- valve units, a ipjilot vvalve'assemblyland pressure regulat ing units constructed and arranged to provide laccess ibility for flserviee ,or replacement of any of the element's' c'onta" edg't'her'einwithout breaking anyfio f the pipe con A rrec'tio I tofthemainvalvebody;-Q. o a I V a T A t r bject o'f the invention is to providean automatic system of preparation Tandrnea'surern'ent ofa' quarte chamberlinthel'valve casing through port P7. Bel-f V "lows .valve B1 is in open position .allowing the e water topassthrough passage 13,chamber.202 andgportf 'Figure 21 is'a vertical section :of ianotherelerrientof theinvention shownin Figure119. V a a The liquid treatment system, :as shown in-Figurezl;

employing the presentcontrol valve includes :the valve vbody 10, a gregenerant tank ;12 ikcoutaining -:the regeneran't solution, a treatment tank I4 containing the .ioniexchange,

filtratiom'or other liquid material; va raw water. :supply I pipelo a service pipe ;22,iancl :wastecr"drainylineconaf r t 'nections 24 and 128 containing ;orifices'21-6 and ;2 18,-.:as' 'f l will be hereinafter-morej fu lyrdescribed. The function;

of i the pipe line :15 will ebedescribed :in :a later, portion 1'.

of a this disclosure. For conveniencepthe :discussion :of Y the sequence of ioperationsgwhich:follows will 1rie'fer'1to an ion exchange systemfalthough it could equally -weu,g

apply to other tre'ating systems, and at this timernogmem, tion will be made of th'e pilotcontrollofitheibellows valves, .thel purpose of thisjdiscussion being p i e the valvebody structure and'bellows valve operat on as control the various-seguehcesof-operations r they serve to as follows: a r

' For service, the

th h P 8 t the i 9 ;u treatmentitat k 15, 9 i through I the. treatment tank leaving thebottom of the n o h P pe illn er g t l r b dy ith q s i V V 1the port ;P2-,"-passing: through -the body o f the-yalve through chamber 204 1p sa eiz 5rn Pas .Pen; ibellows' valve B5=into chamber 1 208, emerging 7 V port P 5 and fpassing to service through-pipe in anticipation of demand for regeneration of the treating-materials in a iliquid treatment tank or any one of a number of liquid treatj Figureo is :a'verticalsection'of the valve assembly showing the' various ports and passages contained there: a V

I 9 s a front elevation ofgan entire liquid treatwew at upr v s aumm el i V V spelt During the service operation bellows valves B1 and B5 are open and the other four valves are in a closed position.

After the ion exchange capacity of the treatment material is exhausted, it is necessary to restore this capacity by backwashing, regenerating, and rinsing the treatment bed.

The sequence of'fiow for backwash is as follows: Raw water is admitted to the valve from raw water supply 16 through port P7, into chamber 110, and passes through passage 17 and past open bellows valve B2 into chamber 204 and out through port P2 and pipe 21 to the bottom side of treatment tank 14. The reverse flush passes out of the top of the treatment tank through pipe lines 29 and 18 into the valve body chamber 292 through port P1, through passage 19, past open bellows valve B6 to chamber 14d and to drain through port P6 and orifice 216 to drain pipe 24. In this operation, bellows valves B2 and B6 are open and the four other valves are in closed position.

The next step in the sequence is regeneration in which raw water is admitted through supply pipe 16 and port P7 into chamber 110 and passes through passage 11, past open bellows valve B3 into chamber 206 and out through valve port P3 and eductor 26, thereby drawing regenerant solution from regenerant tank 12 through pipe line 27. The regenerant solution then passes through pipe line 20 to the treatment tank and returns through pipe line 21, into port P2, into chamber 2&4, through passage 23, past open bellows valve B4 into chamber 194 and emerges through port P4 and orifice 218 to drain line 28. During regeneration bellows valves B3 and B4 are open and the four other valves are in closed position.

Following the completion of the regeneration cycle, it is necessary to rinse the residual regenerant solution from the treatment tank. During the rinsing sequence, raw water from supply line 16 is admitted through port P7, passes into chamber 110, through passage 13, open bellows valve B1, chamber 202, port P1 and pipe line 18 to the treatment tank. Emerging from the bottom of the treatment tank, the water passes through pipe line 21, enters the valve chamber 21M through port P2, passes through passage 23 and open bellows valve B4 into chamber 104 and flows to drain through port P4, orifice 218 and pipe line 28. During the rinse operation, bellows valves B1 and B4 are open and the four other valves. are closed.

For each of the steps of backwashing, regenerating and rinsing as are required in the reconditioning of the treatment material, it is important to control the rate of how through the bed. The principles of operation of this flow rate regulation are shown in Figure 2 in which is drawn schematically a section of the control valve employing a flow rate controller. The actual structure employed will be hereinafter described in detail. This schematic representation is typical for the backwash flow, the regenerant flow and the rinsing flow rate controllers. It should be borne in mind, however, that the backwash flow is maintained at a considerably greater rate than that of either the rinse or the regenerant flow. The average backwash rate is maintained at approximately double the average rinse rate and the average rinse rate is approximately double the average regeneration rate.

Referring to Figure 2 water at line pressure enters the orifice 41 regardless of the position of the hereinafter described pilot valve. When the bellows valve 39 is to be in closed position the line 42, which is connected to the pilot valve, is also receiving liquid under line pressure from the pilot valve. Thus line pressure is maintained in the pipe lines 43 and 38 and in the bellows valve chamber 31. The bellows valve 30 is, therefore, held firmly in a closed position against the rim 34 of passage 32 because of the difierence in surface areas of the valve face 33 acted upon by the equal (raw water supply) pressures in chambers 31 and 32. When it is desired to open the bellows valve, the position of the pilot valve is changed and the pressure of the fluid in pipe line 42 is reduced to zero. The fluid to connection 30 is supplied through the fixed orifice 41 of limited size in line 40 and the pressure in the connection 38 will vary depending upon the operation of blood rate of the pressure regulator indicated generally at 44.

As will be obvious from Figure 2, as the bellows valve 30 opens the liquid from passage 32 will flow past valve face 33 into chamber 49 and will pass out of the valve body chamber 34 through drain orifice 35 to drain. The pressure re ulator includes an orifice 46 joined to connection 38 through connection 43 the efiective opening of which orifice is regulated by the position of diaphragm 43. Diaphragm 48 is made of heavy rubber or rubberized fabric having a spring action normally causing it to open the orifice 46. As the pressure in chamber 49 in creases with flow rate through orifice 35, an increase in pressure is applied against the face of diaphragm 48 as indicated generally at 50, thereby deflecting the diaphragm and reducing the effective opening of orifice 46, increasing the resistance to flow of control liquid from pressure pipe line 40 through the effective opening of orifice 46 to chamber 47 through line 42 which is now connected to drain. This increase in resistance of flow to drain results in an increase of the pressure in pipe line 33, thus increasing the pressure in bellows valve chamber 31 and restricting the flow from passage 32 past the face 33 of the bellows valve. This restriction in flow is immediately followed by a reduction in pressure in chamber 49 and a subsequent increase in the effective opening of orifice 46. Thus the bleed rate through orifice 46 controlling the pressure of the fluid within the valve chamber 31 will vary with the pressure in chamber 49.

In other words, the rate control system operates to maintain a constant pressure in chamber 49, thus maintaining a constant rate of flow through orifice 35 regardless of fluctuations in the supply water pressure. The diaphragm and orifice combination being highly responsive to small changes in pressure within chamber 49 efiect a prompt control over the bellows valve, thus translating these pressure changes due to slight increases or decreases in the flow rate past the bellows valve into changes in position of the bellows valve providing an accurate control of the pressure within chamber 49 and hence of the rateof flow.

It should be noted that the bellows valve is in a closed position prior to its operation which permits a flow to drain and, in allowing and controlling this flow, the valve starts from a closed position. As a result of the limited maximum flow of control liquid through orifice 46, the bellows valve cannot open excessively before sutficient pressure exists in chamber 49 to provide controlling action by the diaphragm 48 and the orifice 46 upon the bellows valve operation. Thus the discharge rate can never exceed, even transiently, except to a minor degree, the fiow rate desired, thereby preventing disarrangernent or" the filter bed or the loss of any treatment material from the treatment tank during backwash.

While the present flow control system is in reality a pressure control system within the apparatus controlling the liquid pressure in a chamber ahead of an orifice which pressure is in turn controlled by regulating the flow past a bellows valve by controlling the operating pressure in the bellows valve, for convenience the apparatus and elements thereof will be referred to objectively as flow rate control apparatus.

It is an important feature of this element of the invention that proper backwash, rinse and rcgenerant fiow rates are automatically obtained and retained in the manner described regardless of fluctuations in raw water supply pressure.

While the functional relations of the various ports and chambers of the valve can possibly be more conveniently followed by reference to the schematic showing of the flow during the backwash and rinse operations. The flow rate during regeneration is sufiiciently low so that the regenerant waste may be delivered to drain through the rinse drain port.

The front and rear distributor plates are shown in elevation in Figs. 15 and 16. The bores marked B1, B2, etc., connect through connecting fitting to the chambers of the bellows valves bearing these designations. The various passages are formed in the surfaces of the plates and are closed by the gaskets 51 and 85, and cover plates 53 and 87, as shown in Fig. 4. It will be noted that the bores 68, 120, 210, 212 and 214 in the front and rear distributor plates are joined by similarly identified bores through the center of the valve body, as shown in Figs. 14, 15 and 16.

Referring to Figures 3, 4 and 6, as hereinbefore explained, the pilot valve is mounted on a front distributor plate 52 and includes a stationary pilot valve disc 54, a rotatable pilot valve 56, a shaft 61 pinned to the pilot valve, pilot valve control lever 60 pinned to the pilot valve shaft, and pilot valve housing 62. The various positions of the pilot valve control lever are indicated by the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 on the pilot'valve housing. For the various pilot valve positions, ports in the pilot valve and the pilot valve disc assume such relationships as will serve to connect the various bellows valves through passages in the distributor plates to a pressure source or to drain and thereby control their operation.

More specifically, raw water supply is admitted to the valve body through port P7 and enters chamber 110, passes through port 112, connecting fitting 113 and screen 114 mounted within filter cap 115. Filter cap 115 is screwed into the front distributor plate cover 53 and thus can be conveniently removed for cleaning. The supply water after passing through screen 114 enters passage 116 in the distributor plate and passes through passages 122 in the distributor plate and the cover plate to pilot valve pressure chamber 64.

In the event that it is undesirable to use the raw water supply for bellows control, for example because it is corrosive, a separate supply may be admitted through the opening in the rear distributor cover plate 87 as shown, plugged by plug 118, in Figure 6. This opening connects with the passage 119 in the rear distributor plate and bores 120 through the distributor plates and the valve body connecting with passage 121 in the front distributor plate and 122 in the front distributor plate cover and feeding into pilot valve pressure chamber 64.

Referring now to Figures 7 to 13, inclusive, these figures show schematically the various positions of the pilot valve and the control effected thereby. The figures are generally representative of a section taken through plane 7--7 in Figure 6 and the construction line passages are representative of the passages in the front distributor plate leading to and from the fiow rate control valves, bellows valves and valve body chambers. The following tabulation presents the bellows valve positions as required for the various service operations and corresponding to various positions of the pilot valve control lever:

Figure 7 illustrates thepilot valve condition when the pilot valve control lever is set in the No. l-Service position. Between pilot valve housing 62 and the pilot valve 56, there exists chamber 64 containing supply water under pressure. This supply water enters passage 124 in the pilot valve 56 whence it is admitted to the apertures A3, A4 and A2, 6 in the pilot valve disc 54. The aperture 16 labelled A3 connects through the top distributor plate, central bore 212 in the valve body, passage 416 in the rear distributor plate, tubing 248, the regenerate flow rate controller 240, and tubing 242 to the bellows valve B3. Pressure is also being supplied to the valve B3 through connecting fitting 250 and orifice 252 from the passage 119. Therefore, full pressure exists in the valve B3 and it is maintained in a closed position. Aperture A4 is connected through passage 93 in the front'distributor plate, the rinse flow rate controller 88, the passage 97 and connecting fitting 101 to the bellows valve B4. Pressure is also being supplied to passage 97 and valve B4 through the orifice 126 from the passage which is connected to port A3. Therefore, full pressure exists in the valve B4 and it is maintained in a closed position. Aperture A2, 6 (shown as 71 in Figure 6) is connected directly to the bellows valve B2 through the passages 72 and 73 thereby applying pressure within the valve B2 and maintaining the valve in a closed position. Valve B6 is receiving pressure through the passage 197 from passage 72 through the backwash rate controller 90 and also from orifice 128 which is drilled in the front distributor cover plate and opens into pressure chamber 64. Therefore, full pressure exists in the valve B6 and it is maintained in a closed position.

Also contained within the pilotvalve is passage 130. In the No. 1-Service position of the pilot valve, passage 130 connects apertures A1 and A5 which are connected to bellows valve B1 and B5, respectively, to passage 132 which, as shown in Figure 6, continues through passage 67 in the front distributor plate through passage 68 in the valve body casting through the rear distributor plate and is connected to drain at port P8. Under this condition, bellows valves B1 and B5 contain no pressure with in the bellows. Therefore, the fluid pressureoperating against the face of these bellows in the valve body forces them to an open position allowing a passage of water through these valves for service flow as previously described.

Figure 8 illustrates the pilot valve condition when the pilot valve lever is set in the No. Z-Backwash position. In this position of the pilot valve apertures A3, A4, A1,

and A5 of the passages to bellows valves B3, B4, B1 and B5 are all connected with the pressure source through passage 124 in the pilot valve;,therefore, these bellows valves are under pressure and are held in a closed position. In this pilot valve position, the passage 130 in the pilot valve connects aperture A 2, 6 to the central drain passage 132, thus draining the pressure from the bellows valve B2 and allowing valve B2 to open. During the backwash operation, however, it is desirable to control the rate of backwash flow past bellows valve B6 to drain. This backwash flow rate control prevents excessive flow or surges from carrying treating material out of the treatment tank and also, due to the fact that a uniform flow rate is maintained regardless of supply pressure variations,

allows the use of a fixed backwash time which will always provide uniform backwash-etfectiveness. This control, as has been hereinbefore reviewed, is maintained by virtue of the fact that passage 197 is constantly receiving pressure through fixed orifice 128 and the pressure level maintained in passage 197 and applied within bellows valve B6 is determined .by thepressure drop through orifice 128 which varies with the bleed rate through rate controller 90 the exterior chamber of which has now been connected to drain through passages 72, 130 and'132. The bleed rate through rate controller 90 is determined by the effective controller orifice area which is, in turn, determined by the pressure against the rate controller diaphragm received from passage 138 which connects with the backwash exit chamber 140 in the valve body. This operation is the same as that described in connection with the rate controller schematically shown in Figure 2.

Figure 9 illustrates the pilot valve conditionwhen the pilot valve control lever is set in the No. 3-Regenerate the foreign matter which has been loosened by the agitation. The agitation is generally accomplished by passing liquid through a series of nozzles afiixed to a pipe which is rotated over the surface of the filter bed with the jets of liquid emerging from the nozzles impinging on the surface of the bed causing agitation thereof.

The present valve may be employed in such a system by connecting the output of port P3, which is now connected to the eductor, to the surface agitator and by reversing the sequence of valve operations. This reversed sequence is as follows: the No. 1 position is the service position as before, the No. 2 position (No. 4 above) is not used, the control pilot merely passing over this position in changing from the No. 1 position to the No. 3 position. While the valve is passing over the No. 2 position, however, there will be a downward flush through the treatment tank of momentary duration, the maximum flow rate which is controlled by the time flow rate controller will slightly exceed the rate of flow during agitation. The No. 3 position which was formedly the brining position is now the agitation position during which liquid is passed to the surface agitation jets. The rinse flow rate controller is set to allow sufiicient flow through the agitation jets to produce the desired agitation. The No. 4 position (formerly the No. 2 position) provides the reverse flush for carrying off the foreign materials which have been loosened from the surface of the filter bed by the agitation operation. The last successive position is, of course, the No. 1 service position.

It should be particularly noted that the only moving parts in this valve are the pilot valve, the valve bellows and the rate control diaphragms.

The pilot valve is supplied with liquid through a strainer and, if the normal liquid supply is unsuited for use in the pilot valve control, provision has been made whereby a separate liquid supply can be directed to thepilot valve assembly. Thus protected and assured of a clean and suitable supply of liquid, the pilot valve will give long and satisfactory service.

A particularly important phase of the invention is the bellows valve. This type of valve is practically frictionless in its operation. The long operating stroke of this valve provides a large opening, thus offering a relatively small restriction to flow through a valve of relatively small diameter. Unlike the diaphragm type of valve where the valve motion is restricted and the valve material must buckle or compress in passing from a domed position on the other side of the plane of the valve, the material in the bellows valve undergoes only a gentle flexing while the valve itself travels a much greater distance.

The bellows valve is preferably constructed with the bellows portion as shown at 3% in Figure 17 consisting of a laminated fabric covered with a rubber selected to obtain high tensile strength, whereas the face of the valve 33 is covered with a rubber selected to conform with irregularities by virtue of high resilience and to retain low permanent set. The rings 230 are provided to restrain the bellows wall preserving the accordion like shape of the bellows during valve operation. Member 231 is a backing plate for the rubber face 33 of the valve. Attached to this plate is the cylindrical member 232 which serves to locate spring retainer cup 233 on which is mounted spring 234. The spring 234 serves to hold the valve in a closed position when no pressures exist either within the bellows valve or in the valve body chambers. When the valve is in the open position, the member 232 serves the additional purpose of limiting the valve stroke by contacting the valve cover and thereby preventing any possibility of the bellows valve wall 3% being pinched or crushed between the rings 230, the backing plate 231 and the valve cover plate.

There is shown in Figure 18 an enlarged section of that part of the valve body shown in Figure in which is mounted the valveBd. Figure 18 serves as a typical illustration of the manner in which a piston type valve may be substituted for the bellows type valve hereinbefore described. Referring to Figure 18 there is shown in section the valve body 10 into which is inserted the sleeve member 262'} having an outwardly turned flange 261 which, with gaskets 262, is clamped between the valve body casting 1t and the valve cap 263. Mounted in the cap 263 is the plug member 264 supporting the guide rod 266 over which is slidably fitted the guide bushing 2%. The O-ring 276 provides a liquid-tight seal between the guide rod 266 and the guide bushing 268. The guide bushing 268 is screwed into the threaded central bore 269 in the valve member'272.

The valve member 272 is formed as shown at 280 to provide a sliding fit within the sleeve member 260. The (J-ring provides a liquid seal between the valve portion 23% and the sleeve 26%. The rubber valve face 274 is held in position by Washer 276 which is, in turn, supported by the snap ring 278 which is mounted in a groove in the guide bushing 268. The spring 284 serves to urge the valve into a closed position when no pressure exists in chamber 23.

The operation of the piston type valve is identical to that of the bellows type valve. The major difierence between the valves is in the cost of manufacture and details of the parts involved. Connecting fitting 101 serves to connect the valve chamber 102 with the top distributor plate, as shown in Figure 5 but not shown in Figure 18. When control liquid under pressure is admitted through connecting port 101 into chamber 102, pressure will be applied on the inside of the valve 272, the surface of which is of considerably greater area than the surface of the valve exposed to pressure within the chamber 23. Therefore, if these liquid pressures are the same the valve will be held firmly in a closed position, as has been hereinbefore described. When the connecting port 101 is connected to drain through the pilot valve, thus reducing the pressure of the liquid in chamber 102 to zero, the pressure in chamber 23 acting on the valve face 274 will cause the valve to open and allow a flow of liquid therethrough as has been hereinbefore described.

When the valve opens, the guide rod and bushing assembly 266 and 268 prevent the piston from rocking or jamming in the sleeve 260. The use of the guide rod and bushing assembly makes possible the use of a very shallow piston which can be used in a space comparable to that required by the previously described bellows type valve.

Also mounted in the cap 263 is the air vent member 288 containing the air vent screw 286 which when screwed back out of the air vent member 288, permits the air in chamber 192 to escape as the chamber is filled with control liquid for the first time from the pilot valve. Once all the air has been removed from chamber 102 the air vent screw 236 is screwed tightly into the member 288,

thereby sealing off the vent. It is obvious that this vent may be employed regardless of whether a piston type valve, a bellows valve or any other type valve structure is employed. 7

A further advantage of this valve structure, piston or bellows, is the speed with which the valve will open and close. When the pressure inside the bellows valve chamber 31 (Figure 2) drops to a value at which the total force acting inside the bellows face 33 is less than the total force acting on the outside of the bellows face as a-result of the pressure in passage 32, the valve will begin to open as rapidly as the operating fluid inside the bellows chamber 31 can be discharged. As the valve opens and pressure begins to build up in chamber 49, the opening pressure is applied over a rapidly increasing area of the valve face. In the case of valves B1, B2, B3 and B5 where no flow rate control is provided, the opening rate becomes so rapid that restrictions 67, in the distributor plates, as shown in Figure 6, are provided in the drain line 7 typevalve is superior to the 1 i isolution does not come in contact with any portionof' the hellows valveior the pilot control valve and the diluted. 7' regenerant solution passing to draintthrough the bellows '10,

'ass uredjgover long periods of use.

7 'iby sirnplv extending thearrangement byconnecting, ad

system through ipipejlirie header see and through the branch 16; topgthe control;- yalvelt}; serving-the liquid? 77 'ftteatment tank l l; Inserted in'the' hranch line the V checli valve 3 2 'Which preventsany. possible reversefiow eesaw? ta-reglucetherate of operation of theivalves'in order tog preventexcessive shock or surges within the system.

' :Itjsohvions that for reasons .of longer life, reduced restrictiontorflow and improvedlconditions of-contrjohthis V various typestof valves here- 7 tofore employed. 7 p j 7 p r It should besnoted that the concentrated regenerant valve gdoes not some in a contact with the pilot control valve-QThD apyfco'rrosive efiects'which might otherwise impair the long life of trouble-free; operation of; the valve-,assernbly are avoided;

{Ifhe diaphragm of ithe rat'e controller-is subjectedlto fi oflly very little motion' It isofsutficient sectiontoflhavel.

" ':inherentstiflnessenough; to elirninate theneecl of a spring 3 ito return. it to normal position :whenthe' pressure against 1 itslfa ceis relieved. Unlikejother rate controllers employ V p I i lg-fiow'operatedvalves angllotherdevices, the rate con: T911617: employed in this invention is of V extermely w simple a andinexpensive construction and is readily accessible should examination be required. Thus its'reliability is Figure 19 shows-an entire liquidtreatnrent plant includ; in'g the liquid treatment ta'nks;14, control valves 10, educ; H tor. 26 ,;regenerant rn'easurin'g'tank 12, weir pot-290, ree i generant stbrageztankrliig; float -pot 294 and check valves;-

and piping as willz'bedespribed. While Figure 19 shows; 7

: nnlytwotliquid treatrnenttanks in parallel arrangement it willtbetgome obvious fronrthe following description that any number of these tanks may' be connected in parallel ditional itreatrnent tanks tojthe variotrs pipe-lines Clltfpfi a ains right-hand i rgme figure. 'Each of the liquid treatnient -ta nlgs a nd its; associated control valve operates p and is connected to thetsystem-inithe;

:Ihe rays/g water requiring treatment is' su pplied from the valve :1!) back? into the raWwa'ter. inlet; header- 300.- Ernergingfrom the control valve. 10s is the: service a v ne ;;Whi h:i sont ec d th ugh a 'flowtm t r 384 an a check-valve 3436 jg the eommon softened water outlets or service pipe header 368. The flow meter which may,

, ew sn ent na f ype o meten in icates he volume. of

' liquid whiqhhhasgbeen treated: and ;thus indicatesivwhen 150".

the t treatment tankr equir esregenerationn .v

i As' has beenghereinbefore describedpipe line Ziicoh-JQ nects thebottqrn r of the liguid tr'eatment"tankto the :7

en ral lve-fi nilin s 74 L ni- 8; containing Orifice? in the operation of the pilot valve control. a r a n Qbnn ct :theontrol ra e z hr ghfi k valve 3 14 to; the comrnon header filfi'i'efadingte theiecluc'e liquid mathemas;

to tlr eat'ment tank; j and the bB C K ZYa S i'IZflQXV from the Y ank t Ja al:"aliv -1a a s'rbs inb iw' e 'scrib normalfservice fiow passes from pipe line ls thr ug .th fitting 329 and-enters the top foi the": liquidetre'atrnent 'tainlt--thf euj ;"hv pipeline 33ib iroi'n3'vvhich' it ipassesrtb andrfiows'ove'rgtherimofithe distributor plate any,gof':thea cohtrolivalves is blocked by the cheek. valvesl eductorr26tbacleto?anysofjthecontrolsvalves the liquiditreatnjent {tank a; pressure in excess 1-OfZ' thatY appliedtd it' 'frQm: the-=he1'der' '318.Therefor i .rant flow from :the header fifi cafi takela the proper liqilid 'treattrilentgtank.f

and Tpipe line 34 4-. The floatfplot 294-1256 sembly'342 are shown rin'an 'enlar ged sec v I 7 V A Figure-V 2 1 Referring; to- Fig'hreTZl, there-"is shown" the fi'0at pot 294 containing afloat: ball '3 l6 aifix ed to, a rod V 348- whicli is slidably mounted Withinafbushihg-SSth The jj. 'pu pf eI; 1119 15 361 9, liquid level inthef-regenerant'storage tank, V a obvious that. as a "result oft-the interconnectionf between the fiio'a tlpotr andi the fstoragetank through-pipe line 3:44

"will be controlled; I

332+; ;Thea9tat 911mm ats aet fl sist ke q d: a me tank hrou he pip -li e ssepa sesq an sd't' s f i drplpea3 .8r h ch V providegaawellgdistr utegi finput flowgoverrth surfaceof q id:treati amate iali rr' l era fifiav e C0nsidering;;the problem; of possibleqeyerse, circu lating for otherwisemnd'esirable; flow -in anyjoijthe; four common headers, namely, the raw waterrsupply header; 7

26 toftlieetopsjdf theil iquid' treatments tanks;andQtheF-T softened aterioutlettheaderr308;.it"wfll be} observed that f Liquid fiowi-fro'rnrther service idutlet: header 368 back; to;

header: 318; intoTliquiditreatmentftanks other. than the;

' one fnnde'rgoing';treatmentivvill be prevented "by virtue of thefact that 'the pressureldrop through the 'eductor] has; 1 redt lcedatheipressureexisting inrlineiilfitogai valfiebelowf that o fz ithelpressure existingin li'ciui'd' treatment tanks undergoing any cy'cIe 'QtherCthan regeneration s 'fore, the check valve 333 willifhave' applied rt froma tanks and the float 'andi vve'ir pots, mitted into the-regenerant storage pipeline 340;; valvef ass mljlyfhousln bushingmernber 350: i sthreaded into the plngfisgwhich e red 3 32 O n ioffi red-m mb r .76; asses i h bb st M t e j di3 8 rr lepthe rod 376 'isformed' vvithfaheadSSfi which bears ag nst one. end oi rneniheriSSZj v assassin the liquid-level 'wiill-be tlie Samein'ea'chf "Threfiore Hy 'controllingfthe'shutoif valve'vvith thelloglt-Stfiirig the j I. i

'fl pq h g iiq idk v l; w th n, t ewe-ant tan jff V Assnrning the:-liqui cl; .level;to rlqegbelow'i the desired level; unseat. 3536. tvvill'not' be, supported by'cthe rliqhid in the float pot an'd the rod' 348 will bezin iitsrlowejrnios' t'- position; the rods 376: 'v'vill; befapproximately "horizontal V and the wane v member --366 vvill in; the pb'siti'on as 'l Sheen; 1 Under? these feon ditions the liquid entering through-pipe 34!},and sleevei362 will :applyssuffieient force against the member 356 to compress thespring 360 and thus open the diaphragm valve allowing a flow ofliquid to pass from within-the sleeve -362-into chambers 365 and 374, .through the openings 355 in the diaphragm 354 and into the float pot. Whentheliquid inthe'float pot and the regenerant storage tank reaches a predetermined level established by the position of the float ball 346, the float ball floating on the surface of the liquid will lift the rod 348 and the end of rod 376 passingrtherethrough, causing the head '380 of'therod 376 to rotate about -a point of contact between the lower edge of the head 380 and the member 382, thereby causingthe central portion of thehead 380 tobear against one end of valve member 366 forcing the other .end of valve member 366 into the passage 37.6, thereby sealing n the passage 370. When the passage 37%) is sealed off it will be obvious that the liquid flowing through the passage 358 into the chamber 364 will build up a pressure within the chamber 364 which is equal to the pressure existing Within the sleeve member 362. Therefore, due to the fact that the same pressure which is being applied over the relatively small area of the surface of the member 356 is being applied over the relatively large area of the diaphragm valve exposed to the pressure within the chamber 364, the diaphragm valve will be forced to bear against the end of the sleeve 362 thereby closing off all inlet flow.

When there is a demand for regenerant fluid, lowering the level of the liquid within the regenerant storage tank and similarly within the float pot, the float 346, the rod 348 and the rod 376 wiil be lowered, returning the head 380 of the rod 376 to a more nearly vertical position thereby allowing the valve 366 to back away from and open the end of passage 370. When this occurs the pressure in chamber 364 will be reduced to the relatively low pressure existing within the float pot and existing within chamber 365. Under these conditions the comparatively high pressure of the liquid within the sleeve 362 bearing against the member 356 will cause the diaphragm valve to open, as has been previously described.

Regenerant liquid flowing from the regenerant storage tank 292 into the regenerant measuring tank 12 passes under the inverted pan 386 through pipe line 388, weir pot 299 and pipe line 390. The function of the weir pot is to prevent regenerant flow between the storage tank to the measuring tank during certain intervals. When the weir pot allows a flow to take place, it is obvious that the liquid level in the regenerant measuring tank and the weir pot will be identical with the liquid level within the regenerant storage tank and the float pot. When any one of the liquid treatment tanks is, as a result of operation of the control valve assembly, engaged in a regenerating cycle, the liquid flowing from the control valve assembly through the eductor 26 will cause regenerant solution to be drawn from the regenerant measuring tank 12 through pipe line 27 and check valve 317 into the eductor 26 mixing therein with the fluid flowing from the control valve and passing into the header pipe 318 and to the particular liquid treatment tank undergoing regeneration. In order that a predetermined quantity of regenerant fluid may be employed in a regeneration cycle the regenerant measuring tank, which may be provided with a float gauge or other indicating means, not shown, must not have regenerant liquid supplied to it during a regeneration cycle. It is the purpose of the weir pot assembly to prevent the flow of regenerant liquid from the storage tank to the measuring tank during the regeneration of any of the liquid treatment tanks.

The weir pot assembly is shown in an enlarged section in Figure 20 and contains the bellows valve 392, the valve seat and supporting member 394 which is mounted on the pipe nipple 396 which is screwed into the threaded bore 398 in the weir pot and connects with pipe line 390.

Connected to the bellows valve 392 is the rod 400 which -:is;urge.dupwardly by the action ofthespringAflZ actingupon.thejamnuts 404 through the. disc-member 406. Spring402 is mounted within the central bore 408 of the member410. Also connected torthe member 410 and supplying liquid :pressure to' the chamber 3408: is the pipe line 25. When none of theliquid treatmenttanks are undergoing ,a-regenerant cycle, the pressure within pipelines 316'and25 will be essentially zero,;therefore, the pressure ;in chamber 408 and the pressure-acting againstthe inside of the bellows .valve 392 in the:weir pot will also be essentially zero, and the spring'402 will hold-thevalve in an open position. -With-the-valvein an open position, regenerant liquid is freetoflowfromzthe regenerant storage tank through pipejline .388 into .the Weir pot, -;past'theopen bellows .valve 392 and through pipenipple 39.6 into pipe line 390 to theregenerantmeasuring-tank.

The effect of this flow will be to lower the level.of;the liquid in the regenerant storage tank, at which time the float pot valve assembly will operate, as has been described, and liquid from pipe line 340 will pass through the float valve assembly into the regenerant storage tank until the liquid in the regenerant measuring tank, the weir pot, the regenerant storage tank and the float pot has reached the predetermined level as established by the float valve assembly. The gravity flow of the liquid from the storage tank to the measuring tank is sufficiently slow to avoid channelling the salt or other material used in preparing the regenerant in the regenerant storage tank.

When any of the liquid treatment tanks call for regenerant solution, a pressure will exist in pipe line 25, which is equal to the pressure in pipe line 316 leading to the eductor 26 and will close the bellows valve 392 allowing regenerant solution to be withdrawn from the regenerant measuring tank with no replacement thereof until the termination of the regenerating cycle.

This application is a division of my copending patent application Serial No. 116,264, filed September 17, 1949, which has matured into Patent No. 2,713,556.

What is claimed is:

1. A multiport control valve assembly including a plurality of fluid operated flow control valves mounted within a single valve body, said body including a plurality of ports for external flow connections and a plurality of passages interconnecting said ports, a plurality of said passages each including a valve seat surrounding a portion of the passage, each of said flow control valves including a movable member adapted to engage only a single valve seat and means for admitting valve operating fluid to the side of the valve member away from its associated valve seat, means for selectively directing operating fluid to said flow control valves to control flow of liquid through said body between said ports, and means associated with at least one of said flow control valves for regulating the pressure of the operating fluid directed to said valve in response to pressure of the liquid on the downstream side of said one flow control valve, said last mentioned means including a resistance to flow of operating fluid to the control valve, operating fluid conducting means including an orifice and connected to the control valve between the valve and said resistance, and a pres sure sensitive element responsive to the pressure of the liquid on the downstream side of said one flow control valve for regulating the flow of operating fluid through said orifice.

2. A multiport control valve assembly including a plurality of fluid operated flow control valves mounted within a single valve body, said body including a plurality of ports for external flow connections and a plurality of passages interconnecting said ports, a plurality of said passages each including a valve seat surrounding a portion of the passage, each of said flow control valves including a movable member adapted to engage only a single valve seat and means for admitting valve operating fluid to the side of the valve member away 

